


Waiting For Deadmen To Return

by Sarah_Carter_Rogers



Category: JAG (TV 1995)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-15
Updated: 2019-12-15
Packaged: 2021-02-26 00:55:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,111
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21804757
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sarah_Carter_Rogers/pseuds/Sarah_Carter_Rogers
Summary: There is more than one thing Harm is searching for.
Relationships: Harmon Rabb Jr. & Original Female Character
Comments: 2
Kudos: 3





	Waiting For Deadmen To Return

**Author's Note:**

> Everyone uses the air dates for dating events but my dates have been modified to the rest of the series. In Season 3 Episode 6 Vanished, the date on the newspaper facsimiles is September 9th 1997, 35 days prior to the air date, so the date has been modified accordingly.

Tuesday, 19 August 1997  
NAS Alameda

A young lieutenant stood on the flight deck of the USS Hornet, the new invention (not yet available stateside) in hand apparently called an mp3 player. She hit play, "Hi, Trish. I've got the day off and thought I'd give you and Harm a tour of the Hornet at sea. I'm standing on the flight deck where we're launching Corsairs. I wish you could see how beautiful this is."

The lieutenant was sure she heard someone walking up the walkway behind her,"Here goes the first one. You can't possibly hear me over all this noise. So I'm going inside where I can talk without shouting." She stopped the recording just as the men came up behind her.

She turned to be greeted by one of them, "Hey, who are you?"

"Lieutenant Boone, Rebecca Boone."

"Sibby Lonegro, I'm surveying the Hornet. If Alameda can't come up with the cash, I'll scrap this rust bucket."

"She's no rust bucket, Mr. Lonegro."

"Nothing romantic about it to me, lieutenant, I served on flattops. All I remember is dog watches, hot bunking and the stink of aviation fuel. In fact I can still smell it, and she hasn't launched a bird in years."

"Well, it smells pretty damn good to me."

"You got it bad. Thirty-year type for sure."

"Here's hoping. My father flew off this deck. Well, I'll let you get back to your survey, and I'll get back to my..." Holding up her player in emphasis, "... tour."

They went inside, the two men making their way deeper into the ship with a word of warning while the lieutenant picked up her tour in the hanger, "Here we are on the hangar deck, Trish. It's not nearly as noisy as topside, even though it's busier than hell. Pardon my French, as your mom's always telling me." This drew a smile from the lieutenant, "Seems like half the Intruders on-board down here are being patched up. Those boys take a hell of a beating. Everything from SAMs to rocks. Thank God I fly high, where there's nothing to worry about." Her smile faded at the reminder that he had never returned.

She moved on from the hanger as Hammer picked up his commentary, "I'm taking the ladder down to the O-2 level, where Tom and I are billeted." Following his word she slid down to the lower deck, "After debriefing, we grab a cup of java and head to our quarters for some rack time. I swear, Trish, if we're not flying, we're sleeping. Especially Tom. Speak of the devil, you'll never guess who joined me, Trish."

A new voice came through, one she was more familiar with, "Hey, Trish. It's the man you should have married."

"Hey, it's a private conversation, Tom. Honey, I'm gonna shut the tape off for a second while I get rid of this interloper." She came to a stop as she came across a chain baring her way.

Using her torch she tapped on the deck beyond, she deemed it to be 'safe' for someone of her weight on the edges, carefully moving along she hit play, "I'm back, Trish. I had to threaten Tom with physical abuse to let me finish this tape alone. Hey, here's the knee-knockers Harm kept tripping over on visitors' day." She came across said knee-knockers, "I'll never forget the way he'd get up after each fall and try again. I like that. It shows fortitude, which will take him a long way in life. Here we are, 03-Lima-124-Papa. My home on the Hornet." She entered 124-papa, "Most of the guys celebrate the end of a mission with a shot of bourbon, but I have mine when I'm making your tape. Tom and I keep a bottle hidden in the wall behind our racks. Here's to you and Harm, Trish."

*

Sometime later the lieutenant moved through the ship to another set of quarters, she was surprised to hear a familiar voice (it sounded like it was coming from a cassette player). "Hey, Trish. It's the man you should have married."

"Hey, it's a private conversation, Tom. Honey, I'm gonna shut the tape off for a second while I get rid of this interloper." She then heard the sharp sound of shearing metal followed almost instantly by a loud thud of a large body hitting the deck.

She headed for the origin of the sounds, knowing full well who she would see. Stopping close by to him, she noticed a man standing above where he had fallen through the floor. A sinking feeling came over her as she realised that the chain that had been there when she came through must have been removed by someone. She heard a woman calling out for Harm, causing the figure to leave, knowing whomever was looking would take care of Harm she carefully followed the man.

It soon became clear that he had more than a passing familiarity with this ship as he lost her.

Going back to the other quarters she let out a puff of anticipation, she looked at the paper she pulled from her pocket knowing full well what it said "Lieutenant Brian Tate, billet 03-Lima-226-Papa" She moved quietly to the bunk, realising just how well this quiet old ship could carry sound. Pulling out her pocket knife, a plastic bag and an old looking yellow book. Using the knife she unscrewed the panel then using the plastic bag like a glove she pulled a green book of about the same size as the one she brought out from the space, folding the bag around it before placing it in her pocket. She then placed the yellow book into the space and replaced the cover and moved to leave the quarters just as she heard Harm's raised voice call out to someone. Her task finished and her heart aching she fled the ship.

*

While Harm, Mac and Falcon were trying to escape the blaze on the Hornet the Lieutenant approached a Lieutenant Commander who she had been told was the pilot of a C-130, after the appropriate salutations he asked her "What can I do for you Lieutenant?"

"Sir, it's my understanding that your flight plan is for NAS Patuxent River."

"That's correct."

"Would you be willing to allow me to poach a ride back to the east coast, sir?"

He looked at her as he thought on that, noticing her wings, "What do you fly, Lieutenant?"

"Tomcats, sir. Off of the Seahawk."

"Tom Boone's CAG, right?

"Yes, sir."

"We are wheels up in an hour, it's up to you to be on-board by then."

"Thank you, sir."


End file.
